‘Seven Years Waiting’: Man sentenced after the death of Akira Carroll

A 40 year old man has been sentenced over the manslaughter of seven year old Akira Carroll, who he ‘loved’ as if he was his own son. Here’s how much time he’ll serve.

The father of a seven year old, who died in a tree felling incident in 2015, says a weight had been lifted off his shoulders when he learned the sentence of the man found guilty of his son’s manslaughter.

Joshua George Hector Clark (40) was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison after the death of his ex-partner’s seven year old son of Akira Carroll in a tree-felling incident.

In August 2015, Clark, his ex-partner Sierra Lynd and her three children had all gone in his dual cab ute to Mt Lloyd to collect firewood.

Mr Clark parked in the middle of the road and climbed out with his chainsaw to fell a tree hanging over a road.

When he tried to do so, Akira – who Mr Clark “loved” as if he was his own son – was accidentally struck by the falling tree, which crushed Clark’s car.

He was found guilty of manslaughter in September and learned his fate on Thursday, seven years after the incident.

Tasmanian man Joshua George Hector Clark. Picture: Amber Wilson

Justice Estcourt said Clark failed to follow his own safe practices and was culpably negligent.

“He did cause death and must accept responsibility for doing so,” he said.

In sentencing, Justice Stephen Estcourt said Clark’s remorse was evidenced throughout the trial and that he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.

He noted a prison sentence would impact on Clark’s family in Victoria, but said it this was not unique.

After the sentence was handed down, Akira’s father, Brett Carroll said he’d waited a long time to learn the sentence.

“It’s been a lot of worry on my mind over the last seven years, ‘when is it going to end?’ … now that it is ended, it’s a big weight on my shoulders lifted instantly,” Mr Carroll said.

Brett Carroll speaks to the media outside the Supreme Court of Tasmania. In 2015, Mr Carroll's seven-year-old son Akira was killed by a falling tree while on a wood-hooking trip with his mother and her partner. Picture: Amber Wilson

“Seven years waiting, that’s how old he was, seven … so he’d be 15 now.

“Nothing’s ever enough, I’m happy with the outcome, it’s (the sentence) a lot more than I thought it was going to be.”

Clark’s sentence was backdated to September this year, and he will be eligible for parole after serving half his term.

Justice Estcourt also noted there had been significant delays in the matter progressing through the courts.

Delays with Tasmania Police accounted for two years, while the pandemic and Clark’s move interstate also held up the system.

“They could not advance the matter because they could not contact the defendant,” Justice Estcourt said.